Stories From the Field

Fiji:  Votua Village on the Coral Coast builds wetlands to help save coral reefs

by Alifereti Tawake, Bill Aalbersberg, Ron Simpson, and Toni Parras
Special thanks to Kini Ravonoloa, a young chief of Votua and
Rusiate Ratuniata, the community liaison officer, for this trip

March 2007

 
Village wetlands help waste water management. 
Photo by Toni Parras

A gang of children follow us as we amble through Votua Village with Kini Ravonoloa, the village Chief, as he describes the community's efforts to improve their resources.  The lush foliage sprouting from the man-made wetlands nestled throughout the village provides a sense of relief from the scorching heat, but more than that, it may be vital to saving the reefs just offshore.

Corals are vulnerable to excess nutrients, found in household detergents, fertilizers, and human and animal wastes, to name a few.  High levels of nutrients in the water lead to overgrowth of algae, which competes with and smothers corals.  Eventually, the corals die off and the reef becomes an algae-covered matte unsuitable for the variety of sea life upon which many coastal communities - like Votua - depend for food and livelihood. 

To combat this, Votua has taken steps to reduce the amount of nutrients reaching their reefs.  ‘Gray' wash water from homes are channeled into canals, where a variety of wetland flora are grown to help filter out nutrients before reaching the sea.  The system in place during our visit is a trial only; the real one will have water piped to a much larger wetlands, then instead of releasing the water into the river and eventually the sea, the water will be pumped up the mountainside to a gravel-and-sand filtration system.

   
Left: Kini points to wetland.  Center: Gray water is piped to wetlands.  Right: River leading out to sea. 
Photo by Toni Parras

On the other side of the river sits a piggery, common along this coast in Fiji.  Pig feces contribute much to the nutrient load reaching the reefs.  Votua is undergoing a trial project to compact and convert the pig wastes to make biogas.

Aside from wetland flora, ornamental plants are also grown by the community,
both to beautify the village and to sell in market.  Photo by Toni Parras

     
   
Left: Bird of paradise flowers.  Center:  Women of Votua Village.  Right: ginger plant.
Photo by Toni Parras

Challenges and Opportunities

Votua Village is located in Nadroga Province along the famous "Coral Coast" on the big island of Viti Levu, Fiji (see map at right).  Steep mountains angling down to a narrow coastline with extensive tidal area that exposes the reef at low tide are characteristic of the Coral Coast, and provide both challenges and opportunities to villages like Votua. 
 
Location of Votua on Viti Levu, Fiji.
The outlined area within the blue coastal waters indicates Votua's LMMA, or ‘qoliqoli.'

 
Left: the mountainous backdrop of Votua, Fiji.  Right: low tide along Votua's shore.
Photos by Toni Parras.

Decline in Reef Health

The reefs of the Coral Coast attract divers from all over the world, who want to snorkel, scuba dive, and otherwise enjoy the sea and sun.  However, many of the hotels along the coast have insufficient sewage and waste treatment systems, if any. 

"Five out of six hotels dump their sewage straight into the sea," claims Kini.  "There is no treatment whatsoever.  They could build wetlands to absorb 70% of the nutrients, but it takes a lot of land.  The owners are foreigners so they don't care.  They turn around and sell the resort and make their money." 

What about help from the government?  Kini shakes his head.  "The Department of Environment is weak.  They have laws but no strength.  The Department of Tourism and Department of Environment work against each other."  Interagency cooperation is sorely needed. 

The result is an increase in algae buildup and a decline in reef health.  In fact, to some locals, the place is so devoid of coral that they mockingly call it the ‘rubble coast' or ‘algae coast.'

Algae-covered reef, Coral Coast, Fiji. 
Photo by Toni Parras

Erosion

Runoff from activities up the mountains eventually flow into the coastal waters, causing further nutrient buildup and coral death.  Removal of mangroves for firewood and to make way for roads, developments and village extension causes erosion, which is further exacerbated by the building of seawalls and jetties, both of which prevent the natural flow of currents from depositing sand. 

As we reach the beach, Kini points to a short seawall that runs the length of the village and which is crumbling in some places.  "We had a small tsunami here back in 2001, which washed away some houses and broke the seawall," Kini explains, pointing to the wreckage.  He acknowledges that the seawall is not helping with the erosion.  "Waves hit the wall and take the sand away." 

A Potential Solution: Integrated Coastal Management (ICM)

Votua Village, like many others along the Coral Coast, has adopted "integrated coastal management" or ICM, to address these issues.  The ICM initiative in Fiji, initiated by The Institute of Applied Science at the University of the South Pacific (IAS-USP) in 2001 and funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, is being piloted along the Coral Coast. The initiative aims to help LMMA communities and sites address external threats that are beyond the communities' capacity to address.

The goal of ICM is to improve the quality of life of human communities that depend on coastal resources while minimizing the impacts of these activities on the environment and minimizing conflicts between users (World Bank, 1996).  ICM is a management process that involves different stakeholders (such as government, community, science, business, and NGOs) and various levels of government working together to prepare and implement a plan for the development, protection and utilization of coastal resources.

IAS, with assistance from various government departments, is currently implementing an ICM project in Fiji.  The initiative focuses on various issues, including waste management, coastal water quality, marine resources management, village governance, alternative income generation, and coastal development planning. The Coral Coast area is the pilot site to demonstrate how stakeholders can work together to make decisions and develop localized plans. A national ICM committee has also been established to advise, learn and discuss policy level issues from the pilot site. The project also seeks to assist national government departments in implementing sustainable tourism and addressing waste management.

Liquid waste and the pollution of coastal waters by nutrients (from sewage) is the most critical issue identified on the Coral Coast. Strategies have been developed to reduce the pollution. Composting toilets, artificial wetlands, and sawdust pigpens have been built and are being trialed to absorb waste. Several resorts have upgraded their sewerage systems. Solid waste management activities include clean-up campaigns and recycling of waste such as tin cans and plastic bottles. The effects of these interventions and the status of coastal water quality are being monitored to assess effectiveness of the program.

  
Sample wetland setup.
Source.: Institute of Applied Science, University of the South Pacific

Other important issues include depleted fisheries, coral harvesting, and coastal erosion.  As part of the ICM project, the village has taken steps - like the wetlands trials - to help mitigate some of these problems. 

A program arranged through Mike's Divers, a local dive shop in Votua, and USP brings students and interns to the village to stay with one of the families.  They pay around $50 Fijian (about US$35) a night for room and board.  They can trek up into the mountains, swim and snorkel, and help plant corals and mangroves. 

"Mangroves gather sediment and prevent erosion, provide a wavebreak and protection to the coast, and provide a nursery for fishes," says Kini.

 
Left:  Recently-planted mangroves.  Right: Coral used for coral planting, Coral Coast, Fiji.
Photos by Toni Parras

Coral planting is popular in Votua as in other villages along the Coral Coast.  Votua has two "wrecks" - wire mesh structures in the sea where coral heads are grown.  Tourists and students help take pieces of these corals from the wrecks and plant them on the reefs.  This activity helps provide income to community members who act as guides, and attempts to help revive the coral population on the reef.

To further protect the reef and its marine resources, Votua has set up a small (less than one square kilometer) marine protected area within its waters.  This no-take area consists of a shallow reef near the shore with deep pools, ideal for snorkeling.  Tourists are only allowed to snorkel at high tide so they don't break the corals, and only with a guide.  A local dive shop, Mike's Divers, which is 100% family-owned and 100% village-staffed, charges $5 to scuba dive in the waters outside the protected area, and $20 to snorkel in reserve. Money from the entrance fees go toward village projects.  Recently, the community signed a 50-year lease with a company to build a Japanese wedding chapel on the shore of its protected area, bringing further income to the village.

  
Left: Mike's dive shop.  Center Japanese wedding chapel.  Right: Votua sunset. Photos by Toni Parras. 

Monitoring of the reefs and fishes are conducted both inside and outside of the protected area to help the community make decisions about their management tactics.  Occasionally, cleanups are arranged to collect and burn Crown-of-Thorn starfish, a poisonous seastar that radically proliferates and voraciously eats living corals. 

Time will tell how the community efforts and ICM program are helping to improve coastal resources and life in Votua.